Control device



W. S. LANDON CONTROL DEVICE Original Filed Oct. 24, 1935 I INVENTOR gmi. m aim W yflu'nt ATTORNEY Sept. 6, 1938.

Patented Sept. 6, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2, 129,499 CONTROLDEVICE Walter S. Landon, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Detroit LubricatorCompany, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan 9 Claims.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No.46,480, filed October 24, 1935, for Control devices.

My invention relates generally to fluid flow 5 control devices and moreparticularly to thermostatic valves for controlling flow of fluid fuelto burners. n

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a new and improvedvalve and one in which the operating range of the valve may be readilyand easily adjusted as desired.

Another object of my invention is to provide for a valve, adjustablerange determining means of a-character such that the range of operationof the valve may be accurately established.

Another object of my invention is to provide a valve having new andimproved arrangement of the operating parts thereof.

A further object of my invention is to provide range determining meansof the above mentioned character which is simple in construction andinexpensive to manufacture.

The invention consists in the improved construction. and combination ofparts, to be more 25 fully described hereinafter and the novelty ofwhich will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

In the accompanying drawing, to be taken as a part of thisspecification, I have fully and 30 clearly illustrated my invention, inwhich draw- Figure 1 is a view shown in vertical cross section of myimproved control device;

Fig. 2 is a view shown looking from right to 35 left of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view shown in crosssection taken along the line 3-3 of Fig.1, and

Fig. 4 is a view shown in cross section taken along the line 4-4 of Fig.1.

40 Referring to the drawing by characters of reference the numeral idesignates a casing or body having an inlet passage 2 and an outletpassage 3 for connection in a fluid fuel supply line (not shown). Theinlet and outlet passages are 45 preferably located in side walls of thecasing l adjacent the lower end thereof, and extend through externallyextending bosses 4 and 5, respectively, which may be formed. integralwith the casing. The casing I has a bottom wall 6 50 in which there isprovided a vertically extending bore 1, the upper end of which opensthrough the upper face of the bottom wall 6. The vertically extendingbore I is in communication with outlet passage 3 by means of aconnecting bore 55- 8 which intersects bore I adjacent its lower end orpoint of termination. A threaded aperture 9 is provided in the upper endof casing l to receive a vent pipe (not shown).

Within the casing l and mounted on the bottom wall 6 there is a flowcontrol or valve me'chanism which is removable from the casing as aunitary structure and which includes a tubular shaped valve housing illwhose lower end portion is threaded into bore 1. Preferably the lowerend of the tubular valve housing ter'mi- 10 nates at a point above theintersecting point of bore I and bore 8, as shown. Intermediate. its Lends the tubular valve housing In is preferably provided with anexternal annular flange II for seating on the upper face of bottom wall6, and between the flange H and wall 6, a gasket may be employed toinsure a fluid tight connection. The tubular valve housing l0 hasvertically extending, aligned bores l3 and "leading out of its upper andlower ends, respectively, and which 0 are separated by a transverse walll5 through which there is a relatively small bore It in axial alignmentwith bores l3 and I4. A reciprocal valve member I8 is disposed in thevalve housing l0 and has an upper portion which slidably engages thewall of upper bore l3 and has a reduced portion l9 which slidably fitsinto the relatively small bore IS. The relatively small portion I! ofthe valve member l8 cooperates with the inner wall of upper bore [3 toprovide an.

. annular chamber 20. The annular chamber 20 is in communication withthe interior of casing I by a plurality of passages 2| located in theside wall of the valve housing and above its external flange ll.Preferably the passages 2| are angularly disposed and incline downwardlyinto annular chamber 20 so as to induce flow 'of fluid thereinto. In theside wall of the reduced valve portion l9 and adjacent its lower endthere is provided a groove or slot 23 which 40 is preferably V-shapedwith the apex of the groove being upwardly disposed and the side wallsthereof diverging downwardly and running out of the lower end of thereducedportion IS. The V-shaped groove 23 is also preferably disposed atan angle relative to the axisof the valve member so that the crosssectional area of the groove increases from the apex downwardly.The'walls defining the V-shaped groove and the wall defining therelatively small bore 16 cooperate to provide a fluid passage whosecapacity is variable by movement of the valve member, the'capacity ofthe passage depending upon how much of the V-shaped groove isdisposed inthe upper bore l3. When the valve member I8 is positioned such that theV-shaped groove is entirely below or out of communication with bore I3,flow from outlet 3 will be stopped. The upper end of valve member l8extends above the upper end of the valve housing Ill and has an annulargroove in which an abutment member 25, in the form of a washer, isdisposed and carried by the valve member. A second abutment member 26 isprovided and has a centrally disposed aperture for receiving the valvemember Hi, the second abutment member being held against the first by acoil spring 21 which tends to move the valve member upwardly. The coilspring 21 surrounds the upper end of the valve housing I0 and isarranged with its upper end abutting the abutment member 26 and itslower end seating on the upper face of the annular flange ll of thevalve housing.

In the upper end of the casing I, above the valve member l8, there is anopening. which is preferably defined by an upwardly extending tubularboss 29 and which is preferably closed by a removable cap 30 screwthreaded onto the boss 29. Disposed within the cap 30 and carriedthereby as a unitary structure there is a pressure responsive actuatorofa thermostatic power element for actuating the valve member I8. Thevalve actuator includes an expansible-collapsible element 3| which maybe a-substantiaily cylindrical, circumferentially corrugated, resilient,metallic bellows. The bellows 3| is disposed in axial alignment with thevalve member l8 and has its upper and lower ends hermetically securedand sealed to end walls or plate members 33 and 34, respectively. Thecap 30 has an end wall 35 in which there is a centrally disposedaperture for receiving a tubular shaped supporting member 36 from thelower end of which the valve actuator depends. Preferably the tubularmember 36 is formed having an annular external flange 31, intermediateits ends, for seating against the inner face of wall 35, and between thewall 35 and the flange 31 there may be provided a washer or gasket 38.An upper portion of the tubular member 36 extends externally of the cap30 and is threaded to receive a nut 4|] by means of which it may berigidly secured to the cap.

The upper end wall 33 of the bellows member 3| has a centrally disposedaperture for receiving a lower end, and reduced portion of the tubularsupporting member 36, the lower end of member 36 being peened over torigidly secure end wall 33 thereto. The lower or movable end wall 34 ofthe bellows 3| carries a supporting member 4| which has a centrallydisposed threaded bore which is in axial alignment with .valve member I8and in which a thrust member 42 is adjustably screw threaded. Thesupporting member 4| extends through a centrally disposed apertureprovided in the movable end wall 34 and has an annular slot in which thewall is clamped and rigidly secured to supporting member 4|. The upperend of the supporting member 4| extends into the bellows 3| and isadapted to engage the lower end of the supporting member 36 to limitcompression movement of the bellows. A lower end portion of thesupporting member 4| extends below the movable end wall 34 and may beprovided with a laterally extending threaded bore for receiving a setscrew 43 whose inner end frictionally engages and prevents rotation ofthe threaded thrust member 42. A coil spring 44 is disposed within thebellows 3| and has one end bearing against the upper or fixed end wall33 of the bellows, and the other end bearing against the lower 'ormovable end wall of the bellows. .The spring 44 thus tends to expand thebellows 3| and this spring is stronger, or exerts a greater force, thanthe opposing force exerted by the valve spring 21. The spring 44surrounds the upwardly extending portion of the supporting member 4|which extends into the bellows 3| and which serves to retain the lowerend of the spring in its proper position. The upper or fixed end wall 33of the bellows may be formed with a downwardly extending, centrallydisposed extended portion for receiving and retaining the upper end ofthe spring 21 in its proper position.

Disposed within the casing I there is an adjustable means for limitingmovement of valve member l8, and this limiting means includes a lever45. Preferably the lever -45 is rectangular in cross section and ispivotally supported at one end by a pivot pin 45 whose opposite ends maybe fixed in opposite side walls of the casing l. Thedever 45 extendsfrom its pivot point, across the casing transverse or at right angles tothe vertically extending, axially aligned thrust and valve members, thethrust and valve members engaging its upper and lower faces,respectively, and at a point intermediate its ends. Preferably the lowerend portion of the thrust member 42 is conical in form or pointed, as at41, to engage in a conical recess provided inthe upper face of the lever45. The free end of lever 45 is disposed adjacent a side wall of casingat' which point the wall preferably has an externally extending boss 46through which extend two substantially parallel, threaded bores 41 and48 located one above' the other. The bores 41 and 49 extend in the samegeneral direction as the lever 45 and screw threaded in the bores arestop pins or screws 49 and 50 whose inner ends normally project into thecasing above 'and below the free end' of lever 45. The other ends of thestop members 49 and 50 project externally of the casing and preferablyhave slotted heads .to receive a screw driver by means of which the stopscrews may be positioned, as desired, relative to the free end of lever45. The boss 46 is preferably externally threaded to receive a cap 52for enclosing the outer ends of the stop screws 49 and 50. Preferablythe free end of lever 45 is rounded, as at 53, and the inner ends of thestop screws are preferably conical in form, as at 54.

It will be seen that bymeans of the limiting or stop screws 49 and 59the range of movement of 1 valve member l8 can be established asdesired. The position of the conical face of the lower'stop screw 50determines the minimum flow capacity of the passage defined by theV-shaped groove and the wall of the relatively small bore or passage l6,while the position of the conical face of stop screw 49 determines themaximum flow capacity of the passage. The minimum stop screw 50 may beadjusted, if desired, so as to permit the valve members to movedownwardly to a point where the V-shaped groove will be entirely belowthe chamber 20, in which position flow of fuelwill be stopped. As ismore clearly shown in Fig. 4, the boss 46 is preferably provided withthreaded bores 56 and 51 which extend laterally to and intersect bores41 and 48, respectively, to receive set screws 58 for frictionallyengaging and opposing rotation of the stop screws 49 and 50 so as toeliminate any possibility of the desired range of operation beingdisturbed.

Thetemperature responsive power element'includes a bulb element 60 whichis adapted to be attached to a boiler (not shown) by means of a fittingor nut 6|. The bulb 60 is connected to the bellows 3I by means of aconduit 62 which is preferably enclosed in a flexible conduit 63 toshield it against injury. One end of the flexible conduit 63 extendsthrough the nut 40 and into an enlarged bore in the upper end of thetubular supporting member 36 wherein it is sealed and secured by asuitable sealing means, such as solder. The conduit 62 extends, and maybe threaded into a reduced bore in the tubular member 36, which boreleads into the interior of the bellows 3|. The bulb 60, conduit 62, andbellows 3| are preferably charged under a vacuum with a predeterminedquantity of an expansiblecontractible fluid such as ethyl alcohol. Priorto the charging operation air is withdrawn from the bulb 60, conduit 62,and bellows 3I to obtain a good vacuum therein and after substantiallyall the air is withdrawn from the bulb, bellows and connecting conduitthe ethyl alcohol may be introduced through a conduit 65 connected toone end of the bulb 60. After a suflicient quantity of fluid hasbeenintroduced the conduit 65 may be flattened by means of pliers, or othertools, to prevent entrance of air while the conduit. 65 is severed andits open end sealed with solder, or other suitable sealing material.

The operation of my control device is as follows: When employing ethylalcohol as the expansible-contractible fluid, I prefer to set my deviceso that it has a temperature range of operation approximately between155 F. and 143 F. That is to say, the maximum stop screw 49 is set 'sothat the lever end 53 will engage therewith when the temperature of thebulb 60 is at 155 F. and will be-in engagement with the minimum stopscrew 50 when the temperature of the bulb is at 143 F. Upon increase inthe temperature of the bulb above 155 F., the expansiblecontractiblefluid therein will expand sufficiently so that its force, plus the forceexerted by spring 44, will exceed the opposing forces of atmosphericpressure and the force exerted by valve spring 21. When this occurs thebellows 3I will be expanded and through its thrust member 42 will causethe lever 45 to be pivoted in a clockwise direction, which in turncauses the valve member I8 to be moved toward closed position untillever end 53 engages minimum stop screw 50. In this position flow offuel to a burner is reduced to the desired minimum and the tempera-'ture of. the heated medium, which may be water -by the burner flame.

in a boiler of a hot water supply system, decreases,.which in turncauses the temperature of the fluid in bulb 60 to decrease. When thetemperature of the fluid in bulb 60' has decreased such that the forceexerted by the fluid, plus the force exerted by spring 44, becomes lessthan the force of atmospheric pressure plus the force exerted by valvespring 21, then the valve I8 moves upwardly pivoting lever45 in acounterclockwise direction until the lever end 53 engages the maximumstop screw 49. Thus the valve member I8 has a modulating action withinthe range. established by the maximum and minimum stop screws and inthis manner controls the flow of fuel to a burner in accordance with thetemperature of the flame of the burner, or in accordance with thetemperature of a medium heated It will beseen that if d sired, theminimum stop screw 50 can be positioned so that the valve member canmove to positively stop flow of 'fuel. The closed fluid con- .44 willbecome effective to either move the valve to minimum flow position or topositively closed position, depending upon the position of stop screw50.

From the foregoing description it will now be appreciated that I'haveprovided'a fuel flow control device having a new and improvedarrangement of the operating parts thereof. By providing the lever 45and the maximum and minimum stop screws arranged as described, theactuator can be arranged in vertical alignment with the valve member andthis arrangement can be obtained while assembly and/or disassembly ofthe device is facilitated. For example, the actuator can be readilyremoved from the casing as a unitary structure with cap 30, after whichthe lever 45 may be swung upward and the valve mechanism removed as aunitary structure. In addition, it will be seen that I have provided anew and improved movement limiting means for determining the temperatureoperating range of a fluid flow control device.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis:

1. In a control device, a casing having an inlet and an outlet, a valvecontrolling flow through said casing, a lever having a fulcrum supportand cooperable with and for actuating said valve, a pair of laterallypositioned stop members adjustably supported in a wall of said casingand projecting therefrom, said stop members having their inner endportions tapered and positioned on the opposite sides of said lever tolimit movement thereof in opposite directions, a cover member overlyingand protecting the external ends of said stop members, and meanscooperable with said casing and securing said cover; member thereto.

2. In a control device, a casing having an inlet and an outlet, a valvemember controlling flow through saidcasing, a lever member fulcrumed.

in said casing, said lever member being cooperable with and foractuating said valve member, means for pivoting said lever member, apair of laterally positioned stop members adjustably supported in a wallof said casing, said stop members having conical formed end portions forI engagement with a free end of said lever member, I

said stop membersextending into said casing longitudinally ofsaid-"lever member and having their conical end portions positioned onopposite sides of said lever member to limit its pivotal movement.

3. In a control device, a casing having a valve port, a reciprocal valvemember cooperable with said valve port to control flow through said casing, means for actuating said'valve member, a lever fulcrumed in saidcasing and pivoted by said actuating means, said actuating means actingthrough pivoting said lever to actuatesaid valve member, stop meanshaving spaced, laterally positioned engaging surfaces extendinglongitudinally of said lever and between which said casing andaccessible through said opening,

a removable closure-member to close said open-' ing, means to actuatesaid control means, said actuating means being carried by and removablewith said removable closure member as a'unitary structure, a levermember in said casing and interposed between and operatively connectingsaid control means and said actuating means, said lever member beingarranged to be pivoted out of engagement with said controlling means onremoval of said unitary structure to 'give ready access to said controlmeans through said opening.

5. In a control device,'a casing having a port for flow of fluid, avalve member to control said port, said casing having an opening in awall thereof for access to said valve member, a removable closure memberclosing said opening, auto-' matically operable means to actuate saidvalve member, said actuating means overlying said valve member and beingremovable from said casing through said opening, a lever memberinterposed between and having abutting engagement with said valve memberand said actuating means, said lever member being arranged so that onremoval of said actuating means said lever member can be pivoted to aposition to give free access to said valve member, and stop meanscooperable with said lever member to limit pivotal movement thereof inone direction, said stop means being movably ada'ustable so that saidlever member can be moved to said position.

6. In a control device, movable controlling means, means to actuate saidcontrolling means, alever operatively connecting said actuating meansand said =-controlling means, said actuating means acting throughpivoting said lever to actuate said controlling means, stop means havingspaced laterally positioned engaging surfaces extending longitudinallyof said lever and between which said lever extends, said engagingsurfaces having tapered portions for engagement by and to limit movementof said lever in opposite directions and being movable longitudinally ofsaid lever to change the range of movement of said lever and saidcontrolling means.

7. In a control device, controlling means biased to move in onedirection, automatically operable power means to move said controllingmeans in ing means, said lever member being engaged,

intermediate its ends and on opposite sides thereof by said controllingmeans and said operating means, and a stop member having an inclinedabutment surface overlapping said lever member to limit movement thereofin one direction, said stop member being movable to change the limit ofmovement of said lever member in said one direction.

8. In a control device, movable controlling means; means to actuate saidcontrolling means, a lever member operatively connected to saidactuating means and fulcrumed to pivot on actuation of said controllingmeans by said actuating means, and stop means having spaced portionsdisposed on opposite sides of said lever member to limit pivotalmovement of said lever member in opposite directions, said portionshaving opposed tapering abutment surfaces between which said levermember extends, said stop means being movable to change the limits ofmovements of said lever member in opposite directions.

9. In a control device, movable controlling means, automaticallyoperable means to actuate said controlling means, a lever memberoperatively connecting said actuating means and said controlling means,a stop member having a tapering abutment surface extendinglongitudinally and on one side of said lever member to limit pivotalmovement thereof in one direction, said stop member being adjustablelongitudinally of said lever member to change the limit of movement ofsaid lever member in said one'direction, and a second stop member havinga tapering abutment surface extending longitudinally and on the otherside of said lever member to limit movement of said lever member in theopposite direc- WALTER S. LANDON.

